What water level do cardinals, neons need

[convict360]

Hi guys, I've been messing about with ripariums recently; with lower water levels than usual.

What sort of water level do neons need?

Tank footprint is 42 inch length, 10 inch front to back. Would hope to have the water level at around 6 inches

 

[Betta132]

According to an online volume calculator, that would be about 10 gallons of water. I'd say that would be fine for 6ish neons, especially in a planted tan, as long as less than an inch of height was being taken up by substrate.
Alternately, you could try hatchetfish. They're one of the few fish that only ever move in two dimensions- surface area is the only thing that matters. You could keep them in 2" of water as long as evap didn't drop it too much.
Some of the smaller wild betta species could also work. You can often keep them in groups, and that would be enough space for them.
Whatever you do, be sure to keep the water volume about the same- don't let evap leave your fish in a puddle.

 

[convict360]

According to an online volume calculator, that would be about 10 gallons of water. I'd say that would be fine for 6ish neons, especially in a planted tan, as long as less than an inch of height was being taken up by substrate.
Alternately, you could try hatchetfish. They're one of the few fish that only ever move in two dimensions- surface area is the only thing that matters. You could keep them in 2" of water as long as evap didn't drop it too much.
Some of the smaller wild betta species could also work. You can often keep them in groups, and that would be enough space for them.
Whatever you do, be sure to keep the water volume about the same- don't let evap leave your fish in a puddle.

Thanks for the reply

I'm just messing about at this stage, it would be light stocking anyway; to fit in with the riverbank theme, it was just that ive noticed some fish get really skittish at certain low water heights

 

[Betta132]

They probably get a bit uneasy because they're expecting herons to be able to find them more easily. A few floating plants would help fix that, or a couple of big clumps of hornwort, or maybe some sort of grass or reed that hangs over the water and provides a shadow. Fish don't like it when things can look down from above and get them.

 

[Thekid]

I have my cardinals in a 2ft tall tank. They seem to prefer the open spaces in a loose school suspended roughly 8-10 inches from the bottom.

I would think that as with any fish that's small and easily consumed would like cover to dart in and out of when a predator makes an appearance.

Being that it's a riprarium I would assume that it's going to have a multitude of plants and hiding spaces knowing how fond you are of underwater jungles.

 

[convict360]

I have my cardinals in a 2ft tall tank. They seem to prefer the open spaces in a loose school suspended roughly 8-10 inches from the bottom.

I would think that as with any fish that's small and easily consumed would like cover to dart in and out of when a predator makes an appearance.

Being that it's a riprarium I would assume that it's going to have a multitude of plants and hiding spaces knowing how fond you are of underwater jungles.

Yeah I'm steadily adding more and more overhanging plants, I increased the water level to about 6/7 inches too, but I'll hold off for the moment until those plants grow in

 

[Betta132]

Habrosus or Hasatus/Hastatus (not sure of spelling) cories could work as well. Those are dwarf cories. Pygmies wouldn't work because they're midwater fish, but dwarf cories stick to the bottom.

 

[duanes]

I agree with the idea of some of the wild type bettas, many are found in flowing streams in water only finger length deep.

Killifish are also a good option, I've seen them in water only a few inches deep.

 

[Fat Homer]

^ I used to have a Breeding Pair of Betta Channoides, but the male past away late last year, and only the female is left, but they are a beautiful fish, especially the males when they put on their breeding colors trying to attract a mate, then there reds and white really POP...

 

[convict360]

cheers for the suggestions! Right now there's some mountain minnows in it that i'd transferred across a while back, but even after raising the water level; you wouldn't even guess they were in there